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City of Elk River - Planning Commission <br />13065 Orono Parkway <br />Elk River, MN 55330 <br /> <br />June 26, 2020 <br /> <br />Dear Planning Commission, <br />My wife and I are requesting a variance to remodel an existing structure used as a barn <br />located at 9700 215th Ave. NW, into an accessory dwelling unit. My in-laws currently own the <br />property and occupy the primary dwelling. They have lived at this property for 36 years, and it <br />is where my wife grew up. Our goal with the acceptance of our variance request, is to purchase <br />the property and for my wife, son and I to live in the remodeled accessory dwelling unit. This <br />would allow my in-laws to remain in their home for as long as possible, and for us to maintain <br />the property as we’ve been for the past handful of years. <br />The property is on 8.1 acres, and prior to being rezoned from A1 agriculture to R1a <br />residential, it was a working horse farm. The building we wish to remodel currently has a small <br />efficiency sized apartment that my wife’s grandfather lived in for many years before he passed <br />away. The remaining space we want to remodel is occupied by 10 horse stalls on either side of <br />a cement isle. That total space is 36’ x 80’. There is a portion that will remain as a barn <br />attached, that space totals 36’ x 40’. The latter space is not cemented, and will remain as is. We <br />are wanting to remodel the front cemented space including the small apartment. We have <br />drawn into the plans a 36’ x 16’-3” space for storage and a workshop area on the west end of <br />the remodel. This will leave the total remodeled dwelling space as 36’ x 63’-9”. The total square <br />feet of the living space will be just under 2,268 feet. By remodeling the space as we have <br />planned, we can work with the existing frame easily, and keep the overall appearance outside <br />balanced esthetically with the remaining portion that will remain as is and used for a barn. <br />The property has two separate wells, and septic systems. The primary house has a new <br />as of last year, septic system. And the one currently connected to the area to be remodeled has <br />a 1,000-gallon tank, and will be inspected and updated if needed. <br />The reason we are requesting the variance, is the total space we wish to remodel is <br />larger than the 1,000 square feet the city allows, and the unit will not be served with a single <br />well shared with the primary dwelling. We feel the five criteria for a variance is met, and <br />explained below: <br />